Getting to 1000

my first sale

Goals and more goals. I started http://www.flirtbuttons.etsy.com/ on June 13th, 2008. My first goal was to make enough money to buy a 2nd button making machine. I had deliberated and pained over the first machine purchase. Each machine makes a different size button. I wanted the one inch machine and the 2.25 inch machine. I settled on the 2.25 inch machine because I wanted to make pocket mirrors. So, I set the goal that when I made enough money using the first machine that I could buy the 2nd one. To my surprise it only took me 3 weeks to make the money!!! I got some big orders and voila, enough money to buy the one inch machine. Meanwhile my friends and family thought I was crazy. A button making business? They obviously had no idea the amount of thought and research I had put into it. Not to mention my online selling experience. I was totally stoked having both machines. I started making all kinds of stuff, and taking over the whole house with all my fabric and paper and supplies!!!

My next goal was to hit 500 sales by the 6 month mark. Which just happened to also be my son's first birthday. He was the reason I started the button business in the first place. The age old dream of staying home with your children and making money. For me it is not a dream, it is a reality. I also teach college online. Both of my jobs are done completely at home. Back to the goal, I made it. In fact I did more than 500 sales by the 6 month mark.

The next goal was the big 1000 by my one year anniversary, also known as an etsyversary on Etsy. I knew that I could do it, but it has definitely taken a lot of marketing. It is not easy to make money after Christmas. You have to really work hard at marketing your products. One of my advantages is that I don't get a lot of sleep due to all the different things in my life that take up my time. Therefore I can be online at all different hours of the day and night. This makes me accessible to the West coast, the East coast and overseas. My sales are from all over the world. If someone asks me a question at midnight, it is quite likely that I will answer them right away. Same story goes for 8 a.m and 2 p.m., sometimes even 4 a.m. Also, because I am online for my other job, I usually leave my Etsy site open so I can check on it while I am working. Needless to say, I have worked hard and I have made my goals for my first year on Etsy.

Now I guess I better set some new goals!!!